Storytelling has always been a cornerstone of effective internal communication, but new technologies and shifting workforce expectations are reshaping how stories are told and experienced. From immersive media to AI-generated narratives, the future of storytelling is dynamic, interactive, and more engaging than ever. This discussion will explore the future of storytelling in internal communications, highlighting cutting-edge strategies and tools that are shaping the way organizations connect with their teams.

• AI-powered storytelling: using artificial intelligence to personalize and generate compelling internal narratives
• Leveraging augmented and virtual reality to create interactive employee experiences
• Interactive & gamified storytelling: enhancing internal communication with storytelling-based quizzes, challenges, and decision-based content
• User-generated storytelling: tools for empowering employees to create and share their own workplace stories
• Data-driven personalization: tailoring stories to different employee segments based on analytics and engagement insights
• Cross-platform storytelling: ensuring consistency and adaptability across email, intranets, apps, and social-style feeds

In today's high-stakes business environment, communication leaders face a daily dilemma: how much information is too much? When does transparency build trust, and when does it create unnecessary anxiety? This session tackles the real-world challenges communication professionals face when balancing organizational transparency with necessary discretion. Drawing from real-world case studies and research, you'll leave with practical frameworks to:

• Assess situational context: key considerations in determining appropriate level of transparency and discretion needed in a situation
• Decode the "transparency spectrum" and identify where your communications should fall between full disclosure and strategic silence
• Set parameters around communicating the unknowns during periods of change
• Determine factors for choosing the appropriate timing for sharing information
• Create strategies for maintaining credibility and trust while navigating the complex realities of organizational confidentiality

Every great story is a journey — a transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In this engaging session, we'll explore how to craft your own Hero’s Journey, blending timeless narrative structures with your unique voice and vision. Whether you're building a personal brand, inspiring an audience, or creating unforgettable characters, you'll learn how to unlock your storytelling superpowers and bring your hero’s arc to life.

• Discover the Hero’s Journey framework: understand the classic stages of transformation and why they resonate across cultures and audiences
• Identify your story’s superpowers: pinpoint the strengths, struggles, and defining moments that shape your narrative
• Turn obstacles into opportunities: learn techniques to frame challenges as pivotal moments of growth and connection
• Create a compelling arc: structure your story for maximum emotional impact, from the first call to adventure to the ultimate return
• Apply the journey to any medium: whether for personal storytelling, marketing, leadership, or creative writing, adapt the Hero’s Journey to suit your goals

As the workplace evolves, so do the ways we craft and share stories to engage employees. Innovative storytelling techniques are reshaping internal communications, making messages more engaging, memorable, and impactful. From immersive visuals to data-driven narratives, today’s methods go beyond traditional approaches to connect with employees on a deeper level. This session will uncover the latest storytelling techniques that can transform internal communications, enhance employee engagement, and strengthen organizational culture.

• Cutting-edge storytelling tools and techniques: modern strategies for crafting compelling stories that inspire, inform, and resonate
• Utililizing advanced data-driven storytelling
• Latest tools for leveraging interactive storytelling
• Immersive visual storytelling
• Personalization of messaging through use of AI
• Leveraging real-time stories using platforms like intranet updates, social channels, or live events

What do superheroes and great stories have in common? Like a caped crusader, a good story lives among the commoners. It flies high but is grounded in the everyday. It isn’t always what it appears to be. And most important, it shows up and saves you when you’re in distress. This session will introduce a case study in how to identify, build and produce long-form content that can be tapped into by almost anyone, and then demonstrate what it looks like when that content is published across a wide variety of products, platforms and audiences, using a content strategy called COPE — Create Once. Publish Everywhere.

• How COPE can be scaled to work for anyone at any-sized organization
• Discover how a single story can be deployed dozens of different ways and published over many months or even years effectively
• Develop an understanding of how the best storytelling extends well beyond writing — and what that looks like
• Learn how strong traditional research and writing can be used to proactively meet audiences and organizational needs - in the moment and in the future
• Receive practical tips for managing content and teams: how the same things that make for a great story also provide a solid foundation for a team’s strategic communication efforts
• Uncover why your institution, organization or corporation is NOT the hero of your story: Your people are!

Strong, compelling writing is at the heart of effective internal communications, as well-crafted stories can inspire action, build trust, and create a sense of shared purpose. This session will dive into advanced writing, editing, and storytelling techniques designed to elevate corporate content, providing practical strategies for structuring internal content, enhancing emotional appeal, and using storytelling to drive engagement and alignment within their organizations.

• Mastering clarity and conciseness: Cutting through corporate jargon to create clear, compelling messages that resonate
• Mastering the art of persuasive storytelling: Structuring narratives that captivate employees and drive engagement
• Techniques for refining tone, structure, and readability to enhance internal messaging
• Adapting style and tone to suit executives, frontline employees, and remote teams.
• Best practices for using storytelling elements to make corporate messages more relatable and memorable
• Enhancing writing and editing with technology while maintaining a human touch
• Using storytelling techniques to transform dry facts into compelling, relatable narratives
• Leveraging emotion in business storytelling

Video storytelling has become one of the most compelling tools for corporate communication, offering a dynamic way to engage employees, align teams, and humanize leadership. A well-crafted video can simplify complex messages, create emotional connections, and reinforce company values in ways that text alone cannot. This discussion will explore strategies for creating impactful corporate videos that inform, inspire, and connect.

• Exploring the psychological and emotional impact of visual storytelling in corporate communications
• How to create compelling videos that feel real, relatable, and engaging without needing high-budget production
• Encouraging employees to share their own stories to build connection and trust
• Understanding when to use live video, animation, interviews, or short-form clips for maximum impact
• Leveraging leadership presence: using video to humanize executives and make leadership communication more engaging
• Optimizing videos for multiple platforms: best practices for adapting video content for intranets, social media, newsletters, and live events
• Exploring emerging technologies like AI, VR, and interactive videos for corporate communication

Great leaders don’t just manage; they inspire, engage, and connect. Storytelling is a powerful leadership tool that can transform the way managers communicate, turning everyday interactions into moments of motivation and influence. This discussion will explore strategies for equipping managers and leaders with storytelling techniques that enhance their ability to communicate vision, drive change, and build stronger relationships.

Encouraging leaders to share authentic experiences to foster trust and relatability
Teaching leaders how to align narratives with company values, vision, and goals
Using storytelling to navigate organizational change and overcome resistance

Guiding leaders to transform reports and metrics into engaging stories that inspire action
Enhancing mentorship and feedback conversations with relatable anecdotes
Teaching leaders to use emotion in storytelling to make messages more impactful
Tips for helping leaders refine their storytelling to be clear, focused, and memorable